Recovery
by vixangel
Summary: Something terrible happens to Buffy and she is struggling to cope. There is only one person that can help her through. No love for Riley in this fic, he also doesn't know she is the slayer. Angsty but will get better. I may have taken liberites with timelines etc but go with the flow. (oh! and...Parker who?) Keeping the B/A love alive!
**Hey, so I'm finally back into writing, however this isn't my normal sort of genre so I hope you can bear with me. I rushed out an ending to Stranger Things as I wanted to get started on this and I don't ever leave my stories incomplete. This is B/A and will start very angsty but what would be the point of a VixAngel fanfic without a HEA?**

 **Any mistakes are my own and the fault of Spell check not working lol- apologies. I'm English so there may be some differences there too! As usual, I own nothing but a major soft spot for B/A even after all these years.**

Lucky's, The Irish bar they were in was packed. All around people were laughing, drinking and putting aside their troubles in favour of the weekend. It didn't matter that they hated their job, or they had a paper due on Monday or that on any sober occasion they wouldn't give the time of day to the person they were currently downing shots with.

It was Friday night and time to forget.

Buffy sat staring intently at the four leaf clover LED light above the bar trying to do just that. Forget. Of all places Willow could have picked, an Irish bar was like a punch in the gut. As if the Celtic designs in the wood work weren't enough, someone had the clever idea to use cheap Claddagh rings to decorate the candles dotted around the place. Buffy shook her head internally at Willow's thoughtlessness. She had tried to convince her to go on a real date with Riley instead of fobbing him off with coffee again. This was the compromise, Xander, Anya, Willow, Oz, Riley and Buffy had met in Willow's choice of bar a few hours earlier.

For a genius, her best friend was sometimes really stupid. Riley gave Buffy the creeps but apparently she was just 'projecting' and expecting all guys to be jerks because of her past. So for the first time in a long time, she was ignoring her instincts and trying to be 'normal'. He constantly pushed to see her more, to spend evenings with her and when she said she didn't want to go out, he suggested staying in.

The answer was always a firm no.

Taking a bigger gulp of her drink, Buffy tried to tune in to Xander's 'funny' story. For one night, she'd like to be able to ignore the constant ache in her chest and to drop the act of being ok. Of course the one person she could do that with, was the main culprit. Irony was a contrary bitch.

"...and the dog run away with my shoe!" Xander finished with a flourish causing the others to chuckle. Buffy let out a short awkward laugh and finished her drink. She got up from her stool, pausing when Riley held her arm.

"I'm just going to get a drink, I'm all out" Buffy explained, using more strength than she should have needed to dislodge his grip.

"I'll get it for you, after all I'm a gentleman" Riley stared at her with straight blue eyes. There shouldn't have been anything more to it than him having his country boy manners but something about him still didn't sit right with her.

 _He's not Angel._

"Aww isn't that cute" Willow practically cooed, "although, drunk much Buffy. Another drink already?"

"It's just soda Will..." but Willow had already turned back to talk quietly to Oz.

"I'll get it Buffy, you just sit tight. I'll make this night special for you...for both of us" With that Riley turned away. She watched him with his boring blue jeans and boring jumper he tried so hard to fill and found that he just didn't make measure up. She watched as he kept an easy smile on his face but there was a hardness to him under the surface that no matter how much she tried, she didn't trust.

"So Buff, how's things? I feel like I can ask that now ya know? Before I started with the construction crew I had no direction and had nothing to say when people asked. Now I have purpose, I have direction! I am a working man!" Xander puffed out his chest, pointing his thumb to himself.

"A working man who makes money. Although I think you need to not be so tired. I swear I had to slap him the other night to keep him awake. We were right in the middle of having se-"Anya was sharply cut off by Xander's hand over her mouth.

"Right, I think we're done. Say bye Anya, time to get you home" Xander waved at everyone and dropped his hand to pull Anya away. As they left, the group could hear Xander moaning. "An, I told you, there is some stuff you just don't say!"

"Well Xander, there are some occasions you just don't fall asleep!" Anya snapped and walked out the bar two steps in front of Xander.

Willow and Buffy stared at each other and sniggered.

Riley returned with Buffy's drink and placed it in front of her with a kiss to her temple. Hiding her cringe and extinguishing Buffy's good humour, she raised the glass in thanks.

"Ooh Buffy, Oz and I were just talking, and now that Faith is out of her co-"

"Korean exchange programme, right hun?" Oz interjected, picking up on Buffy's look of alarm before Willow did.

"What? Oz what are you- Oh! Oh yes, yes, back from Korea. From the exchange with Korea. Well, you know now she's back, doing her share of your...project. Maybe us couples could go away for a few days in Spring Break?" Willow looked at her expectantly. Buffy's mouth went dry and panic set in. Instinctively she picked up her glass to drink, slowly draining the glass so she couldn't talk. Willow frowned slightly and looked to Riley. "What do you think Riley?"

"That sounds great Willow, I mean, if Buffy wants me to go?" Riley said, not taking his eyes off the little blonde next to him.

The look he was giving her unnerved her, letting out yet another awkward laugh Buffy broke eye contact and tucked her hair behind her ear. "You know what, that drink has gone straight through me, I think I need the bathroom" Getting down from the stool, Buffy stumbled slightly in her haste and all but ran from the table.

"It's not like Buffy to get drunk. She's going to regret that hangover in the morning" Willow said, pulling Oz to the dance floor, with a brief smile in Riley's direction. Looking back to Oz, she couldn't help but smile wider. "Everything is going so well Oz, can't you see? Buffy and Riley are perfect together, Faith can take over slaying and Buffy can just have a normal life. It's perfect".

"Will, don't you think you're moving a bit fast? I don't think Buffy is that into him, plus you know, she's the Slayer. It's gotta be pretty hard to give that up. It's part of her. I know how that feels to try and fight who you are" Oz tried to reason with his girlfriend, hoping she wasn't setting herself up for disappointment.

"She just needs a little encouragement, that's all" Willow watched Buffy come out of the bathroom and head their way, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead.

"Hey Will, I don't feel great, can we get out of here?" Buffy stood, holding a nearby table, to keep her balance. She had felt like she was going to pass out in the toilets, suddenly going dizzy and double-vision. She vaguely made out Riley appearing at her side and cringed towards Willow & Oz.

"I was actually going to stay with Oz tonight Buffy" Willow said, having an idea.

"Will it's fine, Buffy doesn't look well you can go back with her" Oz tried.

"I'd be happy to make sure she gets home safely. Back in Iowa I've had to help a friend who'd had a few too many more than once" Riley said, wrapping his arm round Buffy's waist and pulling her towards him.

"I haven't had alcohol, drinks, were not" Buffy struggled to articulate what she meant. Her brain was fuzzy and her reflexes were low. She started to panic, this was worse than the Cruciamentum test she went through on her 18th. At least then she still knew what she was doing.

"Great! See, it's all working out. Buffy, Riley can take you home, you can sleep the drink off and I'll see you tomorrow!" Willow replied.

"If you're sure you're ok with that Buffy?" Oz asked. He had never seen her look so out of it and he didn't think she'd drunk that much. Surely Buffy would have a high tolerance for alcohol.

"I just- home. Ok, I just want to go" Buffy said, trying to stand on her own.

"Riley can take you then, thanks. It's just it will be nice to spend some time with Oz. I hope you feel better. There are some Aspirin in the bathroom!" Willow waved and all but pushed them to go. Riley nodded to Oz and pulled Buffy towards the exit.

...

As they made the short walk across campus, Buffy felt worse. She was struggling to make sense of anything and fighting between pulling away from Riley and needing him to stop her falling. A small part of her was still trying to measure her strength in front of him.

"I promise, I didn't have alcohol" She managed to mumble out. She tried to make out Riley's face as he pulled her along. He didn't comment, didn't have that fake smile on his face, just a determined look as he walked towards her dorms.

"Riley? What-? I mean. Are you judging me? I don't know what's wrong with me"

They finally reached her door and Riley turned to face her. "It's ok Buffy, you had a few to drink. It happens" Whilst he was talking, he pulled her keys from her purse, Buffy not even registering. He opened the door and half carried her inside, laying her on her twin bed.

Pushing him away she tried to sit up, "I'm-, I haven't drunk you should know, you bought my dri-" Buffy cut herself off, even in this state she started to piece things together. Riley stood and walked towards the door, Buffy practically collapsed with relief. It was short lived as he stood in front of the door and pushed it closed, slowly sliding the lock across. "Out. Get out. You drugged me!"

In the shadows of darkness he turned to look at her, nothing but malice and lust in his eyes. "Oh no Buffy. You've been playing the innocent act for too long. I'm bored of waiting. You owe me this. So I might have given you a little something to make you more accepting. Actually more than a little something. Took a lot to even start working on you for some reason-perhaps it was a dodgy batch" he shrugged and started moving.

"No, Riley! NO!" Buffy barely mumbled as he moved closer towards her. The fact that he had drugged her barely registered as she struggled to stay conscious. With a last boost of slayer energy she lifter her leg and kicked him in the stomach, sending him across the room, crashing into the table. Riley shot up in rage, back handing her across the face. Her head whipped to the side as she pushed her arms out, scrabbling to push him away as his mouth lowered towards her. He gripped her hair and pulled her face up.

"I've waited a long time for this" he spat as Buffy fruitlessly struggled to move her head and stay conscious. There was screaming in her ears and terror in her heart as finally, blackness overtook her.


End file.
